as in tortured
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as in plagued
to cause persistent suffering to
he was tormented by nightmares about the accident
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Recent Examples of tormented
Peter Slevin, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
In 1976, the Legislature turned the California Coastal Commission into a permanent agency that has tormented property owners and localities ever since.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
Hokum gives you a taste of one tormented scribe’s fiction before introducing you to the man behind the keyboard.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 30 Apr. 2026
No one seemed to see a problem in the body that tormented me.
—Leila Mottley, Vogue, 27 Apr. 2026
Any scholar of religion and a lot of ordinary Christians know that the Pharisees who tormented Jesus and the Roman Empire were not elite but lower-middle-class.
—Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 24 Apr. 2026
He is tormented by the Road Runner again and again and again.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2026
May 2026 will mark five years of me being free from drugs, alcohol, and the mental illness that tormented me for years.
—Midsi Sanchez, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
Continuing his comeback from brain surgery in September 2023, Woodland experienced no problems with PTSD, a frightening condition that has tormented him off and on the past several months.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
Inside are museum spaces that tell the story of Obama’s Presidency, grounded in the country’s tormented racial history.
—Peter Slevin, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
In 1976, the Legislature turned the California Coastal Commission into a permanent agency that has tormented property owners and localities ever since.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
Hokum gives you a taste of one tormented scribe’s fiction before introducing you to the man behind the keyboard.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 30 Apr. 2026
No one seemed to see a problem in the body that tormented me.
—Leila Mottley, Vogue, 27 Apr. 2026
Any scholar of religion and a lot of ordinary Christians know that the Pharisees who tormented Jesus and the Roman Empire were not elite but lower-middle-class.
—Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 24 Apr. 2026
He is tormented by the Road Runner again and again and again.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2026
May 2026 will mark five years of me being free from drugs, alcohol, and the mental illness that tormented me for years.
—Midsi Sanchez, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
Continuing his comeback from brain surgery in September 2023, Woodland experienced no problems with PTSD, a frightening condition that has tormented him off and on the past several months.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 13 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tormented
Adjective
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The track is bookended by audio of a woman who sells plasma to fund her shopping addiction, a parallel to Skeletrix’s depiction of his plight as a tortured artist.—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
15 May 2026
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While Naverrette flawlessly plays Nikki as being possessed by a sinister spirit who’s obsessed with Bear, her performance also includes tortured outbursts as the real Nikki sporadically breaks free from her subconscious to react in horror as her friend takes advantage of the situation.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Control Pests and Diseases Apple trees, like all fruit trees, are plagued by a host of pests and diseases.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
25 May 2026
-
All the problems that plagued Colorado in dropping the first two games of the series at home suddenly reappeared.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
Adjective
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Throughout his campaign, Pratt has emphasized issues such as homelessness, public safety, wildfire response and government spending, positioning himself as a political outsider challenging the status quo in Los Angeles and drawing support from frustrated voters dissatisfied with current leadership.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
27 May 2026
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But even with all that success, Brown became frustrated with his role on the offense in 2025, which led to rumors and reports of him being traded out of Philadelphia.—
Tom Ignudo,
CBS News,
27 May 2026
Verb
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During and shortly after the Spanish Civil War, Franco’s regime, too, persecuted Esperantists for the language’s association with anti–nationalism and anarchism.—
Katie Thornton,
Harpers Magazine,
26 May 2026
-
Blanche, who defended the fund at a congressional hearing this week, has said anyone who believes they’ve been persecuted can apply for compensation regardless of political affiliation.—
Eric Tucker,
Fortune,
23 May 2026
Adjective
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Others were placed under house arrest, harassed or subject to extensive surveillance, or had their passports confiscated, according to prior NPR reporting and the findings of the United Nations and rights groups.—
Emily Feng,
NPR,
17 May 2026
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For years, Christian clergy who live and work in Jerusalem have reported being frequently spat on, harassed and even physically attacked by Israeli extremists.—
Yuliya Talmazan,
NBC news,
1 May 2026
Verb
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But all hope is not lost for the mosquito-afflicted.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
27 May 2026
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Their presence has revitalized towns historically afflicted by the woes of the boom-and-bust cycles of the oil and gas industry.—
Ernesto Sagás,
The Conversation,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
Over the years, we were constantly besieged with inquiries.—
Gillian Telling,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
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His most recent drama, Evil Does Not Exist, examined the natural world as besieged by modern industry.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Screen time has become a default rather than an intentional choice for harried teachers and distracted students.—
Will Oremus,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2026
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Why is any of this happening in person, rather than over harried texts?—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tormented.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tormented. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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